Ballast cleaner



M. J. SPENO BALLAST CLEANER May 2, 1967 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 10, 1964 INVENTOR MET/N J. 5PE/v0 BY Z/a/M, 614, KMM

ATTORNEYS ay 2, 19%? M j SPENO 3,316,656

BALLAST CLEANER Filed Dec. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 JJW, M, Mz@ @MM ATTORNEYS y 2, 1967 M. J. sPENo 3,316,666

BALLAST CLEANER Filed Dec. 10, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 L! Li L! Q L J; L E L E LJ LJ [/6. 1/

= 31 H? 1 i a: l INVENTOR,

is H WWW/VJ 5PN0 S7. 99

ATTORNEYS M. J. SPENO May 2, R967 BALLAST CLEANER 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Dec, 10, 1964 INVENTOR, fifwm/ J. 5PE/V0 United States Patent Ofihce 3,316,666 BALLAST CLEANER Martin J. Speno, Syracuse, N.Y., assignor to Frank Speno Railroad Ballast Cleaning Co., Ithaca, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Dec. 10, 1964, Ser. No. 417,442 12 Claims. (Cl. 37-407) This invention relates to improvements in ballast scooping mechanism for picking up ballast from adjacent the ends of the ties at the sides of a railroad track and delivering it to conventional sitting and cleaning means for subsequent distribution of the cleaned ballast on the the road bed.

In ballast cleaning operations, the forward speed of the ballast scooping and cleaning mechanism has been limited by the depth of the cut taken by each scoop and the speed with which each scoop is capable of picking up the ballast and transferring it onto the conveyor for the screening or ballast cleaning apparatus. It will be appreciated that the ballast normally is densely packed, and even though it is loosened in advance of the scoop by suitable mechanisms, it nevertheless tends to pile up increasingly in advance of the leading or cutting edge of the scoop as the forward speed of the scoop and the depth of cut increase, so that for practical purposes the depth of cut which may be taken by the scoop at a reasonable forward speed is limited.

Similarly, it will be appreciated that the permissible width of a scoop, and thereby the width of the cut made by it, is limited by the practical requirement that the scoop be able to clear adjoining tracks and various obstacles alongside the road bed.

With these considerations in mind, I have conceived of utilizing a plurality of scoops arranged to follow the same path of travel, but with each trailing scoop set to cut at a deeper level than the immediately preceding scoop, the scoops having their own individual conveyors, rearwardly of their respective cutting blades or plows, and being arranged so that the ballast removed by the foremost or leading scoop is delivered onto the conveyor of the immediately following or trailing scoop for eventual delivery by the rearmost of the scoops onto the infeed conveyor of the ballast cleaning or treating mechanism. This permits the taking of a deeper total cut by the several scoops, at a given rate of forward travel than was heretofore possible.

A further feature of the invention consists in so arranging the several scoops that they may be arranged in laterally offset relation, to conjointly remove ballast over a wider path than is possible with either scoop alone, while at the same time providing means for directing the ballast from the leading scoop onto the conveyor of an immediately following or trailing scoop, the rearmost scoop being arranged to deliver all of the ballast onto the conveyor for the ballast treating apparatus.

Further more detailed features consist in the provision of a novel means for adjusting the cutting height of each scoop, and means for laterally adjusting each scoop, together with means for maintaining a drive to the scoop conveyor during all of such adjustments.

Further incidental features and advantages will be readily apparent from the accompanying drawings and detailed description of the preferred embodiment of the invention.

In the accompanying drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary side elevation of a portion of a railroad fiatcar on which are operatively disposed the improved scoops of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing only the scoops and their associated adjusting and driving mechanism, together with the leading lower end 3,316,656 Patented May 2, 1967 portion of the conventional ballast conveyor leading to the ballast treating mechanism.

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged cross section on the line 33 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged fragmentary elevation showing the trailing scoop arranged as shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 5 is a fragmentary plan view of the structure shown in FIGURE 4, showing the scoops and conveyor structure in full lines in their laterally projected operative positions; and showing them in broken lines in their laterally retracted positions.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary enlarged side elevation of one of the scoops equipped with means for actuating the air brakes of the trail to arrest its movement in the event the scoop encounters an immovable object.

FIGURE 7 is an enlarged cross sectional view on the line 7-7 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 8 is an enlarged vertical cross section on the line -88 of FIGURE 6.

FIGURE 9 is a fragmentary front elevation of one of the scoops in its fully raised and locked position.

FIGURE 10 is a side elevation of the structure shown in FIGURE 9.

FIGURE 11 is a diagrammatic plan view of a modification in which the scoops are arranged in laterally overlapping formation.

It will be appreciated that the apparatus shown in the drawings may be modified in various particulars in accordance with the invention, and that the specification which follows constitutes a description only of the preferred embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings.

Referring now in detail to the accompanying drawings, and especially to FIGURES l and 3, the ballast scooping mechanism of the invention is preferably assembled and supported on a usual flatcar F, shown fragrnentarily in FIGURE '1, supported on trucks T having usual flanged wheels W for movement along the rails R. The chassis of the car consists primarily of a rigid longitudinal center sill or beam 10 supported on the respective trucks T and in turn roviding support for the flat .bed or platform B and the various components of the present invention.

Considering first the general arrangement of the various components, there are provided on opposite sides of the car a plurality of scoops S of similar construction, including at each side of a car a first or leading scoop S1 and a second or trailing scoop S2, normally arranged to follow the identical path of its associated leading scoop S1 but to cut at a different depth than the scoop S1. It will be seen that each scoop S comprises a forwardly directed plow or blade 11 having a generally horizontally extending but preferably serrated cutting edge 12 extending completely across its forward end. Just rearwardly of its plow blade 12, each scoop S comprises a power driven conveyor 13 of the endless type having a rearwardly moving upper run to carry the ballast rearwardly from its plow blade 12 and to discharge it. Normally the leading scoops S1 will each be positioned with its plow blade 11 at a depth substantially less than that required for the finished cut or ditch, while each succeeding or trailing scoop S2 will have its blade 11 positioned at a relatively lower level so that each of the successively acting scoops makes a deeper out in the same path or along the same trench.

As will further be seen from FIGURE 1, each leading scoop S1 has the elevated rear or discharge end of its conveyor 13 positioned to deliver ballast onto the conveyor 13 of the immediately following scoop S2. The last, or in this case, the second scoop S2 in turn has the discharge end of its conveyor 13 disposed for discharge onto an elevator conveyor 15 constituting the infeed conveyor of a conventional ballast treating apparatus, as for instance a usual ballast sifting and cleaning apparatus of the class disclosed in the prior patent of Frank Speno, No. 1,951,451 granted Mar. 20, 1934. Such mechanism is but fragmentarily exemplified by the receiving chute 16 for receiving and directing ballast onto a conventional sifting screen structure shown but partially at 17.

While the propulsion power for the car F will normally be furnished by a locomotive (not shown), a suitable power source, together with suitable control means for the pneumatic mechanisms hereinafter described, may all be housed within the cab 18 at the forward end of the car, as shown in FIGURE 1.

For providing power for the various parts, there is provided a longitudinal line shaft 20 which is rotatably supported in bearings 21 and 22 respectively, and which may be driven either through a conventional motor 23 by way of the gear box 24, or else through a power source (not shown) within the cab 18.

The elevating conveyor 15 for carrying the dirty ballast to the treating or screening mechanism 1617 is of the endless belt type in which the rearwardly and forwardly moving upper run 25 of the belt is supported for movement over a series of rollers 26 which in turn are rotatably journaled across the rigid conveyor frame 27. At the opposite ends of the conveyor 15, the belt is guided for movement around the rollers 28 and 30 respectively. The conveyor 15 is driven from the motor 23 through a reduction gearing housed in gear box 31. A sprocket 32 fixed on the output shaft of the reduction gearing 31 transmits rotation through the flexible drive 33 to the shaft 34 on which the roller 30 is keyed and supported. The shaft 34 in turn and its associated end of the conveyor structure 15 are supported by bearing means 35 carried by the bracket 36 at the upper end of a rigid standard 37 afiixed to the car bed B. The element 38 simply constitutes a shield supported in generally spaced parallel relation above conveyor run 25 by a series of supporting arms 39 extending from the frame 27 of the conveyor. The forward end of the conveyor frame 27 is adjustable laterally, as disclosed for instance in the Bach U.S. Patent No. 2,775,438, granted Dec. 25, 1956.

The scoop construction Each of the several scoops, 51-81 and S2-S2 is of substantially similar construction and therefore only one such scoop will be described in detail, this being the scoop S2 on the righthand side of the car as seen in FIGURES 1 to inclusive. As is best shown in FIGURE 5, the main frame of the scoop comprises a pair of parallel laterally opposed rigid side frame members 40 which are rigidly interconnected as a unitary structure by the cross bars 43 and 44 respectively. The plow blade 11 with its forwardly directed and serrated edge 12 extends transversely between and is rigidly supported by a sub-frame exemplified by the opposed and spaced side plates 45 respectively which normally are afiixed to and function as a fixed portion of the main scoop frame. Plates 45 are slidable or yieldable rearwardly on the main frame when the blade 11 encounters an immovable object. The details and purpose of such sliding yieldable connection and its associated features will be explained in more detail hereinafter.

The endless conveyor 13 is guided for movement around rolls 47 and 48 respectively at the leading and trailing ends of the conveyor. As is shown in FIGURE 7, the shaft 50 of roll 47 is freely rotatably supported in bearings such as 51 carried by the opposed lower side members 45 of the sub-frame. The shaft 52 for the upper or discharge roll 48 is rotatably supported through the opposed side frame members 40, with the roller 48 connected in driving relation to it. Each such shaft 52 is provided with a rigid lateral splined extension 53 as shown in FIGURES 3, 5 and 11, and it is through this splined shaft 53 that the drive is transmitted to the con- 4 veyor 13 in all operative positions of the conveyor as hereinafter described.

For effecting adjustment of the plow blade 11, the scoop frame is provided on its opposite sides with hinge brackets 54 respectively which are rigidly connected thereto. The upwardly projecting extremities of these brackets 54 are pivotally connected at 5656 to transversely adjustable supports, in the form of beams 60, for vertical swinging adjustment about the horizontal axis defined by the aligned pivotal connections or hinges 5656. The leading end of each scoop frame is suspended from and supported by a laterally adjustable beam 61.

As shown in FIGURE 4, the beam 61 carries the clevis 62, from which the forward end portion of the conveyor frame is suspended by means of rigid links 63 and 64 pivotally connected to each other at 65. The relatively remote ends of these links are pivotally connected at 66 to the clevis 62 of beam 61, and at 67 to the inner side plate of the scoop frame.

It is to be noted that the axes of the pivots 66, 65 and 67 all extend transversely to the direction of movement of the scoop, and in a horizontal direction so that the links 63 and 64 may collapse or fold about their pivotal interconnection 65 incident to upward swinging of the scoop about its pivotal axis 5656. However, the pivotal connections of the links as above mentioned extend in the direction of lateral adjustment of the scoop and so interconnect the links as to prevent lateral displacement of the scoop with respect to its supporting beams 60 and 61.

For effecting the desired vertical adjustment of the plow blade 12, irrespective of the lateral adjustment of the scoop, there is provided a pneumatically actuated cylinder and piston unit, of which the cylinder 70 (FIGURE 4) is pivoted at 71 to a rigid standard 72 aifixed to the beam or slide 61. The piston rod 73 of the said unit is pivotally connected at 74 to the lower forward end of the scoop frame.

The laterally adjustable supporting means or slides 60 and 61 respectively are guided for lateral movement in housings 75 and 76 respectively afiixed to the longitudinal center beam or sill 10 of the car. As will be readily apparent, these housings or guides 75 and 76 respectively may comprise simple sleeve-like structures for sliding reception and guiding of their respective beams.

Lateral adjustment The lateral adjustment of the respective scoops is accomplished in the present instance by means of similar fluid actuated cylinder and piston units 77 and 78 respectively, as best shown in FIGURI-LQ 3, 4 and 5. The cylinder portion of the unit 77, as will be seen by reference to FIGURE 5, is affixed to the guide sleeve 75, while its associated piston rod 80 is connected at 81 to the laterally adjustable supporting beam 60. The cylinder portion of the unit 78 is similarly firmly afiixed to the guide sleeve 76, with its piston rod 81 connected at 82 to the laterally adjustable supporting means 61. The pneumatic cylinder and piston units 77 and 78 for each scoop are of the double acting type and adapted for coordinated simultaneous control by any conventional means so that both ends of the scoop structure will be simultaneously projected or retracted away from or toward the side of the car while maintaining the scoop properly lined with the direction of movement of the car along the rails R.

Drive mechanism for scoop conveyors As has been earlier mentioned, each of the scoop conveyors 13 of the present embodiment is driven through a splined inward lateral extension 53 of its discharge roll shaft 52. It will be noted that each splined shaft extension 53 is supported from its associated scoop stnucture, both for lateral adjustment therewith as well as for swinging movement therewith about the axis 5656.

In order to avoid interference with the inward lateral movement of these splined extensions 53 with the center sill of the car, the latter is provided with an opening 84 (FIGURES 3 and 4) of appropriate size therethrou-gh to accommodate such movement as well as the associated swinging movement or displacement of the splined extension 53. Normally, corresponding scoops 8 -8 and S S on opposite sides of the car will be somewhat longitudinally oifset or displaced with respect to each other so that their respective laterally adjustable beams 60 and 61 with their associated supporting guides and adjusted mechanisms, as well as their splined shaft extensions 53, may laterally overlap each other without inter ference. To this end, each of the openings 84 through the center sill 10 is preferably of sufiicient longitudinal extent to readily accommodate both of the splined shaft extensions 53 of a laterally opposed pair of scoop structures.

The drive is transmitted to each of the scoop conveyors 13 from the common line shaft by a conventional chain drive 85, best shown in FIGURE 4, to a countershaft 86 rotatably supported on the platform B. From the countershaft 86 the drive is transmitted through intermeshing beveled gears 87 and 88 to a cross shaft 89 rotatably supported by bearings 9090 (FIGURE 5) on an outboard platform or shelf 91 affixed to and projecting laterally from the center sill or beam 10.

Fnom this cross shaft 89, the interconnected chain drives 92 and 93 respectively transmit rotation to a sprocket wheel 94 having an internally splined hub 95 slidably disposed on the splined shaft extension 53 in rotary driving engagement therewith. The interconnected chain drives 92 and 93 are so arranged as to remain operative despite the lateral adjustment and the vertical swinging movement of the splined shaft extension 53. For this reason, the two drives 92 and 93 have coaxially disposed sprockets 97 and 98 (FIGURE 5) at their adjoining ends interconnected for simultaneous rotation by means of a common shaft 100 which also provides an articulated connection between the rigid frames or links 102 and 103 respectively of the chain drives 92 and 93. It will be seen that the link or frame 102 is swingable about the axis of its associated cross shaft 89, while the frame or link 103 is provided with journals 104 and 105 respectively by which it is swingably mounted about the axis of the splined extension 53. It will further be noted that the journals 104 and 105 of the rigid linkage of frame 103 are fixedly spaced in rotary abutment with the opposite axial ends of the internally splined sprocket hub 95 to restrain the hub against axial or lateral displacement with the splined shaft section 53 and its associated scoop.

It is of course contemplated that the scoop might be swingably supported by the shafts 52, 53 for angular adjustment about the shaft axis rather than the axis 56-56 which, in such event would be eliminated. The shafts 52, 53 would then be mounted for axial slidin-gmovement along and rotation about a fixed axis on the car F, thus permitting use of an obviously simplified drive means.

Automatic braking function As has been earlier mentioned, the sub-frame portion 45 of each scoop frame is normally rigid with the rest of the scoop structure. However, preferably this subframe and the plow blade 11 carried thereby are capable of breaking away and yielding rearwardly when the plow blade or other portions of the sub-frame 45 encounter an unyielding object. For this purpose and as is shown in FIGURES 6 through 9, the sub-frame 45 is provided at its opposite upper edges with laterally inwardly directed horizontal flnages, each designated 106, which are received and guided for sliding movement in guide ways 107 respectively, defined by appropriate structure at the lower edges of the respective upper side frame members of the main scoop frame. Shear pins such as 108 are disposed through normally aligned openings in each of these flanges and its associated guide way 107 to prevent rearward yielding of the sub-frame 45 within the normal range of resistance to its forward movement encountered by the scoop blade 11, but to shear off and permit rearward yielding when the extent of such resistance reaches a magnitude such as is likely to result in damage to the scoop.

It is desirable also to utilize this rearward breaking away or yielding movement of the sub-frame 45 to actuate the brakes of the train, of which the car here illustrated will form a part, in order to bring the car and its locomotive or other source of propulsion to a halt before any damage results. For this purpose, and as shown in FIGURE 6, there may be provided on the side of each sub-frame a laterally outwardly projecting abutment plate or actuator 110 positioned for engagement with the operating handle 111 of a rotary brake valve 112 interposed in the air line 113 of conventional air brakes of the train (not shown) including the car by which the apparatus of the present invention is carried.

Travel position of scoops For firmly securing each scoop in a fully raised position for travel at relatively high speed, the forward suspension links 63 and 64 respectively may be provided with transverse bores 63' and 64' therethrough respectively, in positions to register when the scoop is thus raised and in an operative position so that the scoop may be securely maintained in the raised travel position illustrated fragmentarily in FIGURE 10 by insertion of a metal pin through the relatively aligned bores 63'64'. For locking the scoop in its innermost lateral position and preventing it from accidental-1y moving laterally outwardly during travel, each scoop may be equipped in the manner illustrated in FIGURES 9 and 10 with a bracket 115 affixed to the outer side thereof in position to register with the laterally projecting free end of a lock bar 116 bolted or otherwise firmly aflixed to the center sill 10, the registering portions of the bracket 115 and lock bar 116 being provided with bores for reception of a locking pin 117.

Operation In the operation of the invention which is believed to be apparent from the foregoing description, when the car bearing the scooping mechanism of the invention is traveling to or from a desired work location, the several scoops S1S1 and S2S2 will be adjusted laterally inwardly to the fullest extent possible by actuation of their respective pneumatic units 76- and 77 to fully retract their supporting laterally adjustable beams or arms 60 and 61. In this position, the locking bracket 115 of each group will register with the free laterally outwardly directed end of the locking bar 116 so that a locking pin 117 (FIG- URE 10) may be operatively inserted through the aligned openings in these members.

At the same time, the free forward end of the scoop will be supported and locked in its fully raised position by insertion of the locking pin through the relatively aligned openings 63, 64 in the suspension links 63, 64.

When the car arrives at the desired scene of operations, the locking pins are removed from the links 63 and 64 and from the bracket 115 and locking bar 116- to permit both vertical and lateral adjustment of the scoop to operating position.

The pneumatic units 77 and 78 for each scoop are suitably actuated to adjust the scoops on each side of the car laterally outwardly beyond the outer ends of the ties, at least sufficiently for the scoops to clear the ends of the ties before they are lowered, it being appreciated that the range of possible lateral adjustment after the scoops have cleared the ties is quite considerable in the preferred embodiment of the invention so that the scoops may be adjusted either to cut trenches in the shoulders of the road bed immediately adjoining the ends of the ties, substantially as illustrated in FIGURE 3, or alternatively may be positioned to form trenches more distant from the 7 ends of the ties and extending into the inter-track area, where there are adjoining parallel tracks.

After being laterally positioned, the scoop blades 11 are vertically adjusted by swinging about their pivots or axes 5858 to lower the blades 11 to the desired operating levels. Such lowering preferably will be achieved while the car on which the scoops are supported is moving slowly forward, whereby to enable the blades 11 to gradually penetrate the ballast as they are lowered.

Normally, the lateral adjustment of the scoops S1 and S2 on either side of the car will be such that each scoop S2 will be disposed in accurate trailing relation behind its associated leading scoop S1 and will be set to cut at a greater depth than the scoop S1, substantially as shown in FIGURES 1 and 11, so that the leading scoop S1 of each pair will initially cut the trench to but a portion of its intended depth, while the trailing scoop S2 will complete the trench to the desired depth.

It will be understood that the intake end of the conveyor associated with each pair of scoops S1 and S2 will be laterally adjusted by swinging of its associated scoop to a position in which its intake end is longitudinally aligned with the immediately preceding trailing scoop S2 for reception of the dirty ballast from said scoop.

With the parts so adjusted, the several conveyors 13 and 25 are rendered operative by starting of the motor 23 or other power source located within the cab. The scoop conveyors, as earlier explained, are driven from the said power source or motor 23 through the gear box 24, line shaft 20, and the intervening drive mechanism 85 to 95 respectively to each scoop conveyor, the internally splined hub 95, in association with the splined shaft portion or section 53 of each conveyor serving to transmit drive to each conveyor 13 in any of its positions of lateral adjustment.

Thus as the car and scoops move forwardly, the leading scoop S1 has its blade 11 disposed to cut a relatively shallow trench, the ballast from the trench riding over the blade 11 and onto the intake end of the scoop conveyor 13 for discharge onto the scoop conveyor 13 of the immediately following scoop S2. The scoop S2 is set with its blade 11 at a lower level than that of the scoop S1 to deepen the trench to the desired depth. The additional ballast removed from the bottom of the trench by the blade 11 of the trailing scoop S2 will be delivered onto the conveyor 13 of said scoop together with the additional material discharged thereonto from the leading scoop S1. Manifestely therefore, the total ballast picked up by both associated scoops S1 and S2 will be delivered by the conveyor 13 of the trailing scoop S2 onto the intake end of the infeed conveyor 25 for delivery by it to the ballast processing mechanism 16 and 17, in FIG- URE 1. It is to be understood that after suitable processing and cleaning, the cleaned ballast normally will be delivered back into the trench formed by the scoops S1 and S2, the dirt and foreign matter which is separated from the ballast by the processing apparatus being discharged separately at any desired location.

By thus taking successively deeper cuts in the same trench, each scoop S1 and S2 will tend to pile up in advance of it a smaller amount of material at any given operating speed than would be true were but a single scoop employed to form the trench to its desired ultimate depth in a single operation. Because of this, the scoops are enabled to operate at an appreciably greater forward translational speed, where thus employed in series relation, than is possible where they are employed singly in conventional manner.

In addition to their primary function of forming a trench to the desired depth by successive cuts in the same trench, the scoops of the invention may readily be adapted for use in jointly cutting a trench of greater width than would be possible by the use of either scoop per se. Such an arrangement is illustrated in FIGURE 11, in accordance with which the leading and trailing scoops S1 and S2 on each side of the car are arranged in relatively laterally offset but overlapping relation, through preferably at the same depth, whereby to jointly form a ditch which is wider than either of the scoops S1 or S2. In this modification, the leading scoop S1 is preferably pro vided with suitable means such as a deflector plate 99 mounted on one of its side frames to extend diagonally across the upper run of its associated conveyor 13 at the discharge end of said run, so as to deflect the discharged ballast therefrom laterally onto the conveyor 13 of the trailing scoop S2.

Where the trench to be formed is of but nominal depth, or is through ballast or other material of such a nature as not to require both of the scoops S1 and S2, the trailing scoop S2 may be swung upwardly by suitable actuation of its control unit 70 to substantially the position illustrated in FIGURE 2, in which position its scoop blade 11 is disengaged from the ballast while its conveyor 13, which is maintained in operation, has its intake end disposed immediately beneath the discharge end of the leading scoop conveyor 13 to transmit the ballast from the leading scoop S1 onto the intake end of the conveyor 15.

In the event the blade 11 of any one of the scoops encounters a substantially immovable object, the sub'frame 45 of that scoop will be urged rearwardly with respect to the main scoop frame, with such force as to shear the pin 108, shown in FIGURE 8. The ensuing rearward displacement of the sub-frame 45 will cause its abutment of FIGURE 6, to engage the operating lever 111 of the brake valve 112 whereby to apply the brakes of the car and of the locomotive and other cars associated with same, whereby to immediately bring them to a halt.

It will be readily apparent that the scoops may be raised and lowered as desired while continuing their operation, and similarly that they may be laterally adjusted while in operation.

Upon the conclusion of operations, where it is desired to transport the equipment at road speeds, the several scoops as well as the conveyors 15, will be laterally inwardly adjusted and raised, and the scoops locked in their raised and laterally inwardly adjusted position in the manner and by the means earlier described.

In this application, I have shown and described only the preferred embodiment of the invention, simply by way of illustration of the best mode contemplated by me of carrying out my invention. However, the invention is capable of other and different embodiments, and its several details are capable of modification in various obvious respects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and description are to be regarded as illustrative in nature, and not as restrictive.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

-1. Ballast handling mechanism comprising an ambulatory support adapted for movement parallel to a railroad roadbed, leading and trailing scoops carried by said support for operative engagement with the ballast of said roadbed, said leading scoop being disposed in a position to remove ballast from the roadbed in a predetermined path and at a predetermined depth whereby to form a trench of said predetermined depth, said trailing scoop being positioned for movement along the said trench and for removal of ballast therefrom to a greater depth than the leading scoop, said scoops both including conveyors for receiving the ballast removed by them, and discharging it rearwardly, said conveyor of the trailing scoop being positioned rearwardly of and beneath the discharge end of the conveyor of said leading scoop, whereby to receive the ballast removed by both scoops.

2. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 1, including an infeed conveyor carried by said ambulatory support rearwardly of the trailing scoop to receive ballast from the conveyor thereof and transport it to a ballast treating apparatus.

3. The mechanism of claim 1 including means for independently adjusting the said leading and trailing scoops 9 to remove ballast to relatively different depths from the roadbed.

4. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 1 further including means for vertically adjusting said trailing scoop relative to the leading scoop for selectively increasing the depth of the trench formed by the leading scoop.

5. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for laterally adjusting said scoops relative to said ambulatory support.

6. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 1 including means for laterally adjusting said scoops relative to each other and to said ambulatory support.

7. Ballast handling mechanism comprising an ambulatory support adapted for movement parallel to a railroad track, leading and trailing scoops carried by said support for operative engagement with the ballast of the roadbed alongside said track, said leading scoop being positioned to cut a trench in said ballast of predetermined depth less than the ultimate depth desired and to remove ballast from the trench to said predetermined depth, said trailing scoop being positioned for movement along the trench and at a level to remove ballast from said trench to a greater depth than the leading scoop, said scoops both including conveyors for receiving the ballast removed by them from said trench and discharging it rearwardly, said conveyor of the trailing scoop being positioned to receive the ballast discharged from the conveyor of the leading scoop, where by to receive and transport the total ballast removed by both scoops, and an infeed conveyor for ballast treating apparatus carried by said ambulatory support rearwardly of said trailing scoop in position to receive the ballast discharged by the conveyor of said trailing scoop.

8. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 7 including means for selectively adjusting said scoops and all of said conveyors to lateral positions in which the leading end of each except the conveyor of the leading scoop are disposed in alignment with the discharge end of one of the scoop conveyors to receive ballast therefrom and to effect delivery of all of the .ballast to the infeed conveyor.

9. Ballast handling mechanism comprising an ambulatory support adapted for movement parallel to a railroad track, leading and trailing scoops carried by said support for operative engagement with the ballast of the roadbed of said track, said scoops being in laterally ofiFset overlapping relation and disposed for operation at the same depth, whereby to jointly cut a trench in the ballast having a greater width than either of said scoops and of uniform depth, a conveyor on each said scoop for receiving the ballast removed from the trench :by said scoop 10 and transporting it rearwardly for discharge, an infeed conveyor for a ballast treating apparatus carried by said ambulatory support, said conveyor for the trailing scoop being arranged to receive the ballast discharged from the conveyor of the leading scoop and to deliver all of the ballast from both scoops to said infeed conveyor.

10. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 9 in which said conveyor of the leading scoop includes means at the discharge end thereof for laterally defiect ing the ballast discharged by said conveyor of the leading scoop onto said conveyor of the trailing scoop.

11. Ballast handling mechanism as defined in claim 10 in which said trailing scoop and said infeed conveyor are aligned with each other in the direction of forward travel of the ambulatory support, said leading scoop is positioned laterally outwardly ibeyond said trailing scoop, and said deflecting means comprising a generally vertical deflecting plate having a forward edge portion affixed to the conveyor frame adjacent the lateral-1y outermost edge of the conveyor of said leading scoop, said deflector plate extending diagonally rearwardly and laterally inwardly over the discharge end of said last mentioned conveyor.

12. Ballast handling mechanism comprising an ambulatory support adapted for movement over a roadbed, leading and trailing scoops carried 'by said support for operative engagement with the roadbed, said scoops having forwardly directed operative ends positioned at different levels for taking successive cuts at different depths, said scoops being in relative alignment in the direction of their forward movement to operate in succession along a common path and to successively remove material from the roadbed along said path, said scoops both including conveyors for receiving the removed material and discharging it rearwardly, means rearwardly of the said trailing scoop and its conveyor for receiving the material discharged from the latter, said conveyor of the trailing scoop being positioned to receive the material discharged from the conveyor of the leading scoop.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 205,270 6/1878 Horrie 37107 270,776 1/1883 Freel 37-106 1,081,632 12/1913 Sink 37107 1,792,148 2/1931 Dobbins et al 37104 1,851,333 3/1932 Stephens 37107 1,951,451 3/1934 Speno 37107 ABRAHAM G. STONE, Primary Examiner. R. L. HOLLISTER, Assistant Examiner, 

1. BALLAST HANDLING MECHANISM COMPRISING AN AMBULATORY SUPPORT ADAPTED FOR MOVEMENT PARALLEL TO A RAILROAD ROADBED, LEADING AND TRAILING SCOOPS CARRIED BY SAID SUPPORT FOR OPERATIVE ENGAGEMENT WITH THE BALLAST OF SAID ROADBED, SAID LEADING SCOOP BEING DISPOSED IN A POSITION TO REMOVE BALLAST FROM THE ROADBED IN A PREDETERMINED PATH AND AT A PREDETERMINED DEPTH WHEREBY TO FORM A TRENCH OF SAID PREDETERMINED DEPTH, SAID TRAILING SCOOP BEING POSITIONED FOR MOVEMENT ALONG THE SAID TRENCH AND FOR REMOVAL OF BALLAST THEREFROM TO A GREATER DEPTH THAN THE LEADING SCOOP, SAID SCOOPS BOTH INCLUDING CONVEYORS FOR RECEIVING THE BALLAST REMOVED BY THEM, AND DISCHARGING IT REARWARDLY, SAID CONVEYOR OF THE TRAILING SCOOP BEING POSITIONED REARWARDLY OF AND BENEATH THE DISCHARGE END OF THE CONVEYOR OF SAID LEADING SCOOP, WHEREBY TO RECEIVE THE BALLAST REMOVED BY BOTH SCOOPS. 